Japanese Iced Coffee: Is it Better than Cold Brew?

The only thing better than a good recipe? When something's so easy to make that you don't even need one. It’s nice when I wake up and there’s a jar of cold brew in the fridge, ready to be diluted by glugs and glugs of milk—just the way I like it. But more often than not, someone (okay, it’s me) forgets to make it.

So instead of making cold brew, I’ve been turning to Japanese-style iced coffee a.k.a. Flash-brewed coffee a.k.a. Ice brew a.k.a. Brewing super strong coffee directly over ice. The hot drip melts the ice, diluting the coffee to the perfect strength while also cooling it down immediately. It’s ready in about 10 minutes (including bringing the water to a boil), and—not to offend all the cold brew fanatics out there—but… I actually like the taste better?

The cold brew versus ice brew debate was a hot topic among baristas way back in 2012, but allow me, an amateur, to summarize: While cold brew makes a big batch of concentrated coffee that’s rich and chocolatey at best (and muddy and grimy at worst), ice brew yields a brighter, cleaner-tasting, more complex cup. That’s because brewing with hot water brings out all of the beans’ complex aromas, and cooling it instantly—rather than chilling it in your fridge to drink later even though you know it’ll taste like wet cardboard—instantly locks in those flavors before dreaded oxidation.

You can’t make a big batch of ice brew for the week, as might cold brew, but it’s so fast to make, I’ve never minded. Just add cream, plop in a straw, and morning’s made!

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup/1 oz./30 g. ground coffee beans

1 cup/8 oz./230 g. ice cubes (plus more for serving)

1 cup/8 oz./230 g. water

EQUIPMENT:

Measuring cups or a kitchen scale*

A pour-over cone (aka a drip brewer) or carafe

A coffee filter that fits the pour-over cone or carafe

A 16-ounce or larger mason jar (if not using a carafe)

Tea kettle – preferably a goose-neck shape made for pour-over brewing

DIRECTIONS:

Fill the mason jar or carafe with the 2 cups/8 oz./230 g. ice.

Set a filter in the brewer, set it over the mason jar (if using) for brewing, and add the coffee grounds.

Bring the water to a boil. Slowly pour just a bit of the water over the grounds – just enough to cause the coffee to expand (also known as “blooming”). Once all of that water has dripped through, slowly pour about half of the remaining water over the top. When that has finished dripping through, slowly pour the remaining water over the top. Let drain completely.

If using a mason jar, remove the drip brewer. If using a carafe, remove the filter and grounds then pour into a glass. Add ice, cream, and/or sugar if desired. Add additional ice, cream, and/or sugar if desired and stir. Serve immediately.

If you have been searching for a new way to enjoy your favorite coffee, we highly recommend this method. So give it a try and let us know what you think of the results. In the end we believe you will be delighted and given how easy it is, we are betting that you will start enjoying this iced coffee all summer long.

P‍‍ros:

It makes cold coffee faster: it takes about 10 minutes including the time to boil water.

The flavors are more robust than a cold brew.

Cons:

It makes just one to two servings at a time.

A little more labor-intensive than a cold brew and more work to make a big batch the night before.